Angelic Scars
by LNEnja
Summary: I wouldn't change those last seven years for anything, not for the mafia, not for L, not for Kira... Those scars he left on me, I can wear them with pride for the rest of my life. Even if they hurt too much...


LNEnja: Roaaar! Haeee ladies (and gentlemen?) This is my first fanfiction… Aaaaand it is going to be ~oh so looooong *laughs hollowly*. Sooo, I'm planning to rewrite the story from the point that Near and Mello met each other in Wammy's until their very end… (cliché?) I'll follow the basic storyline and timeline but I'll be adding some 'minor details' *grins* Now welcome our little chibis… That we all love after all…

Mello-chibi: Why chibis?

LNEnja: Because you are still too young… *sighs*

Mello-chibi: So what? I can pretty much tell what's going on in your little mind about me and Near… And you don't give a damn about our age…

LNEnja: Now I'm hurt, shut up Mello…

Near-chibi: *eyes wide open in terror* You mean…

LNEnja: *interrupts* I'm not gonna spoil anything for anyone… *serious tone*

Mello-chibi: *stares at Near in astonishment of his reaction*

LNEnja: Sooo let our beloved chibis wonder about what's about to come next aaand let's all do the chibi dance…

Mello-chibi: *chases LNEnja around the room*

Near-chibi: Please leave a review to tell her how her intentions are pretty inconvenient for us…

Mello-chibi: WAIT A SEC… "RATED M"?

Near-chibi: *Turns around in terror*

LNEnja: *shuts them up* Enjoeeeeeeee...

--

Disclaimer: LNEnja: I don't own Death Note, BUT! unlike everyone here I own Near-chan.

Near-chibi: ¬__¬ No, she doesn't .

LNEnja: Just kidding, I don't; BUT in my fantasies I so do…

-

**Angelic Scars**

**Just like a dream**

2009

"Ahh…"

_If there is such thing as heaven__ then I must be close…_

"Aaaahh, Me…llo…"

_Ah yes,__ that voice…_

Stop seducing my ears… Myself alone is not enough?

"Mgh…Y-Yes? Ah..."

I don't know what turns me on the most about you right now... The fact that you are underneath me, legs wide open and your hands tied tightly over your head or that voice of yours…

"I… Aaagh… h-ha…aah… h-harder"

That voice that is so cold, so remote, so empty to other people. Yet, right now, you would definitely not call such voice neither cold nor empty… More like…

"Nghh… Mel-lo... ooh"

_Pleady…_

"Aaah… No… Don't… aaghh"

_Whiny__…_

"Naah… Don't stop…"

_Addicted…_

"Aghh… Ne…ar I-I'm… Aaaah…"

…_Oh yes, I'm definitely close._

And yet, I wish that my life was that simple.

But it's not…

But that boy underneath me has become a part of it… Maybe he has already become my whole life… Anyway, I'm not going to let him know that.

Him…

_Mine… _

Near…

_All mine…_

But it wouldn't be right to begin my story from here. It started long ago… Years ago. Seven years ago to be accurate…

_Just like a dream…_

…

2002, 10th of July

"Shit, I'm gonna be late again…"

Even for me, the best student in Wammy's House, is very hard to get up from bed after two days without sleep.

10th of July.

Mihael Keehl.

Ah, whoever my parents were, I can see how much they loved me by giving me such a ridiculous name…

Mihael Keehl.

Bleeh! Good thing no one knows my true name here…

_Mello._

I don't even remember from where I got the idea for this, but somehow this is my real name. I want to erase whatever reminds me of those fools who gave me up in front of this orphanage.

The Wammy's House.

We should be on holidays right now, not having lessons… I guess this is what you get when you choose your 'additional courses' to be on holidays. 'Art lessons'? What on earth 'art lessons' have to do with summer holidays? Why couldn't they just be before holidays? And why that early? I should be outside playing now… Or better, I should be sleeping…

"9:40 am? Hell, if I don't hurry up…"

At least those lessons are not that early like the rest of the lessons here… I don't even want to think what would happen to me, if I had to wake up at seven o'clock in the morning, in the middle of the summer. But anyway…

Nonetheless, if I won't move my sorry ass and be in class at ten I'll get yelled at again… And I don't think that this teacher will buy one of those excuses that Matt or the other boys usually feed the rest of them. So, I have to hurry. Apparently I'm still here, in my room running around like mad to find my clothes, my books and all the artistic stuff…

At least the clothes is the easiest part of searching…

It's not that hard to find something to dress with if you are searching my wardrobe… Everything is black... Trousers, shirts, blouses, even my pants, all of them are black. They say that the room and clothes reflect one's true personality. I bet they're right. But that's another story…

"Sweet Jesus, it's 9:50am already and I'm not even dressed."

This is one of the reasons, I wish more than anything, my room would be on the first floor. Why third? And why alone? Other children here, already have roomies and yet again, as for myself, I don't even have 'neighbours'. So, instead of whining over it, I chose to make it work for my advantage.

"No one can hear me here, after all"

Which is good.

_Oh yes, very good__…_

At last, after eight minutes of insanity, I'm ready.

"Ah, 9:58am, I might not be late after all"

But who knows what I'll meet on my way downstairs. That's the three floors delay for you after all...

…

I must hurry it's already ten and I'm still running the 3rd floor corridor.

"Mello!"

At the sound of the familiar voice I turned around…

"Hey Matt"

That familiar voice belonged to that redhair boy sitting next to the staircase that leads to the second floor. Matt, the second best student in Wammy's House. Right after me, and my only support here. 'Support' heh… He's just the only person I can get along with, so yes, I suppose that you can call us 'friends'.

"Sorry Matt, I have to run. I'm already late for class. Didn't you have Maths class, now?"

"I skipped the first hour, you should come and see my new video game after class, by the way"

If there _even_ was such a group of video-game-addicts, then Matt should definitely be in charge of it.

"Again with that? Sometimes I wonder how you can still remain the second best here."

I said so just to tease him. But sometimes I really wonder myself how he can still manage…

"Hmpf, I thought that you were in hurry…"

The redhair snorted in disapproval and started to walk away from me. He's quite fun to just annoy him every now and then.

"I still am… I said so because it wouldn't be good, as the second successor of L, to be outdone by another student. I wouldn't want one of those fools to be my accomplice in the near future anyway."

At the sound of it, Matt turned around to face me, eyes not blinking from surprise and his lips curved in a wide smile.

"I thought that… Right, I'll see you later."

Okay that was sudden, his voice reached the tone of affection and in a blink of an eye he cheered a loud goodbye and just left?

_Affection?_

Ah, morning wake ups in the middle of the summer are a grave damage to my health. Mental health mostly…

"!!"

"Now I'm really gonna be late."

…

Good thing I arrived in class before the teacher and the last desk is empty. She might not notice me sleeping there.

"Good morning class, sorry I left you waiting."

A short-height, blond woman, peered inside the classroom in full speed, carrying all kinds of stuff with her two chubby hands. As soon as she unpacked her things, she looked at the class with a bright smile…

"Please prepare yourselves children, today we are going to do something different."

Different? We should prepare ourselves for the worst I guess… I already know that art teachers, no, artists in general, are a little bit _madder_ than the rest of the world (if such word even exists), because of their peculiar ways to express their feelings and themselves through art. At least this is what I've heard from Roger long ago… Anyway, let's hope that this woman is the exception, at least for today.

"Now before we begin drawing, I'd like all of you to close your eyes."

"What?"

A bunch of children said mockingly and started laughing.

_What's so funny anyway?_

At times like this, I don't find it odd at all that I don't have anyone here. Everyone is _so_ immature.

I sighed and closed my eyes.

After a little while, the blond woman whispered quietly and ever so slowly as if enchanted.

"What's your deepest desire? Your greatest yearning? At the sound of this, I want you to think about it very carefully. The first picture that crosses your mind will be its answer and I want you to draw this."

_In the end__, she is not the exception at all._

Inner wish, huh?

I guess that it will be hard given that I already have my eyes closed for over a minute and all I can see is a blank, black picture.

_Black._

_Like my clothes,_

_My personality,_

_My soul, _

_My whole life._

...

There is only black. It's simple, accurate and above all… _Easy to draw._

…

No.

No! Don't change the picture now!

Although I wished for it, it didn't make any difference.

There still is solid black but now, I can see someone lurking inside.

Someone kneeing on that thick and ebony imaginary ground of mine. His head drooped, looking down.

It's a boy.

A blond boy…

_This is …me?_

I pressed my eyes with my fingers to see better. My pupils started to hurt from the pressure, making psychedelic, colourful shapes, mixing and ruining my vision.

_No, not now!_

I stopped pressing my eyes and the colours slowly started to fade away replaced by that black image again.

The blond was still there though, sitting alone surrounded by floating colours.

In the end, the only thing that was left, was a little white spot morphing and dancing around the boy nonchalantly.

Suddenly the boy tilted his head up, in order to see the white substance, which was now transformed to a livid and pale figure, looking down at the little blond. The slim and snow-white ghost was not moving, so did the boy, whose expression started to look painfully grieved. The two of them were just staring each other.

After a long time the figure stretched its arm out in order for the fair haired boy to grab it. The very time their hands touched, the boy froze in astonishment, smiling and his eyes filled with tears…

_Am I crying?_

In a blink of an eye, the blond jumped up and hugged tightly the white buddy and started sobbing. After a great deal of time, he stopped crying but he wouldn't let the ghost go.

Rapidly, the boy grabbed the phantom's hand and started to run around happily, dancing, laughing –and crying at the same time, dragging the ghost with him.

_No, this is definitely not me__._

But what was this anyway?

Okay let's assume that this little blond is me, then what about that white figure? And what does it want from me? Or better… what do _I_ want from it? Torrents of emotions, colours, pictures, it's not like me at all…

I don't want to think that something inside me is changing… Maybe it's just all that teenage stuff and outbursts that all the doctors are talking about.

But this white ghost is the only thing that shines and glows in this super massive black hole for fantasy of mine…

_It's like the friend I've never had__…_

...

"Mello…"

"Mello… Wake up already!"

"God damn it, I'm not sleeping! I'm trying to concentrate and you just messed everything up!"

As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw two big hazel eyes staring at me from a short distance, accompanied by a round, big –and silly I must add, smile and two brown pigtails floating around happily.

"Everyone has started drawing long ago and Mello is still 'trying to concentrate' for over fifteen minutes."

"What do you want, Linda?"

I sighed as a respond to that girl's cheer. Linda… You just cannot possibly ignore that girl even if you want to. She wouldn't let you anyway…

"Nothing I just thought that you fell asleep…"

Even her voice is impossible to ignore. Linda never speaks, she shrieks instead.

"…It wouldn't be right for 'Mello-the-best-student-in-Wammy's-House-and-also-L's-likely-succesor''s reputation to just fall asleep during lessons."

_But ther__e are some times that I love this girl more than anything…_

"Linda, as you can well see with your own eyes, I wasn't asleep and oh, by the way, please don't worry about me. I'm not planning to let my reputation and above all, my grades to fall. But please remind me your rank here… Seventh? Eighth?"

…_When she shuts her fuck up!_

And I can pretty much say so, judging by her frowning face, this is one of those times.

"Hmpf, Mello is in a bad mood again. Have it your way then… As if you would let the chance slip away…"

Linda frowned her face and with flashy-sparkly-jumpy way she left, at last. She can be such the nuisance…

…Although what she said in the end was very true.

_A__s if I would…_

From all the time in the whole _damn_ world she had to bother me now. Why can not she just leave me die-sleep-dream-fantasize or whatever in my corner?

It's no use now, the moment is long gone, along with the image I had in mind.

The question is, what the hell is wrong with me?

I've never had such problems in the past.

I like my independence.

In fact, _I love it…_

Depending on someone means weakness, downfall, vulnerability, and in the end…

_Easy to be __deceived._

And I would definitely not want such thing for myself.

Even if there was the slightest chance to approach someone in here, then who? We all are supposed to be racing towards the same goal…

_L's place._

I don't mean to brag, but almost everyone here is so damn immature and stupid, if they cannot even reach _my_ level, then go figure. I can't bring myself to imagine Linda as the next L. I just can't… That's an outrageous insult to L's name to even think about it… All those thoughts make me wonder that, either I am very intelligent or they are just so very stupid. Maybe both and maybe neither…

Sometimes I find myself thinking… Would it be better if I had someone worth of my attention?

Someone in my own level.

_Someone to race against at…_

No, the last thing I need is to be kicked down from the first place.

And I bring myself to the first question.

What's with the weird daydreaming?

Pff, morning awakenings already started to get to me in a slightly disturbing rate.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the door knocking. I realized that something wasn't right, only when the entire class fell silent looking at the door.

"Please come in."

The teacher ever so politely said so, as always, and an old gray hair head popped inside the classroom.

"Good morning Mr. Roger is anything the matter?"

"Oh no, I apologize for the trouble but could Mello come with me for the rest of the hour? I need him for something now…"

What? What for? I swear I didn't do anything wrong, at least not yet… With that thought, my gaze traveled automatically to Linda for just a second.

"Oh, yes of course."

"Right, Mello please come with me."

I nodded silently as I stood up to follow Roger. Judging by his face and the tone of his voice, it's not for something bad. And for the rest of the hour? Anyway, I'll know soon enough…

We walked through the empty corridor passing all the empty classrooms. Everyone is outside playing, I can hear it. Although, I can hear some faint noise coming from the common room as we passed outside it. Anyway I couldn't care any less right now. After a minute we arrived outside of Roger's office.

"Mello, please come inside, I want to talk to you."

The old man said as he unlocked the door.

"What is it Roger?"

I finally parted my lips to speak, as I stepped inside the big and heavy-furnished room. But the grey head didn't say anything yet. He only walked towards his desk and opened a drawer. I can hear some papers shuffling and then a clingy noise.

Keys?

Without further move he looked at me with that dreamy look on his face and said…

"Do you remember who lived in the room 330?"

"Yes, 330 room is the room next to mine. A boy named Jake, I think, used to live there about a year ago. It's currently empty."

"I didn't expect any less from you Mello, our upcoming new L"

He smiled for a moment and then he returned his gaze to the drawer.

"Then I expect you recognize what this is…"

With that sleepy voice of his, he raised his hand, holding a key that had a sticker with a number on it. 330. That is…

"…His room key?"

Although those three words slipped accidently out of my mouth they seemed to be the best right now.

_Don't tell me... _

My eyes widen in surprise in the thought of…

"It won't be empty anymore Mello…"

…I have a neighbour!

How many thoughts can pop up inside your head in just a second or two? I bet a lot…

Who is it?

A girl?

A boy?

A tough one like me?

Or an innocent vulnerable little kid?

Someone who deserves all those thoughts of mine that born this very second?

…Or someone who isn't even worth of my pity?

_Who is it?_

And above all, now that I come to think of it, why is Roger telling _me _all these? He could give the key to that 'new kid' instead of calling me…

"I bet I know what you're thinking right now… That kid, unlike all the others here, is a little bit different and that's precisely why I really doubt that he will get a proper welcoming."

_He?_

Alright, two things I've learned. Firstly he is a boy and secondly he is …different?

Let's hope for the best…

"… Now what I want from you Mello, is to prevent this from happening. I'll give you the key of his room. I want you to show him the place first and then help him unpack; he is in the common room as we speak.

The common room? I should've looked inside instead of deliberately ignoring it.

"…You will notice from the first moment that he is the polar opposite from you, but in a way, I believe that there is no better person than you to do this."

If I was just curious two minutes ago, now I'm simply dying to know this 'new/different/special-boy-that-we-are-quite-the-opposite-but-disturbingly-similar-all-at-the-same-moment'. At least this is what I got from Roger's words all this time.

Opposites attract, that's what people say after all.

Nevertheless, I have my doubts about this theory… If they do really attract each other then why am I alone all these years here? Although I have a hunch about this time…

"Alright Roger, I'm on my way."

…But it would be better not to get overexcited about it that early.

"Good luck…"

_Oh, I'll definitely need it…_

The time I closed the door behind me, I found myself pretty nervous. Although the common room is on the other side of the corridor, apparently two minutes far, the trip through it felt like hours.

_Too many hours…_

But the trip –as well as the time, stopped the very moment I arrived outside the common room, but I refused to go inside.

_What am I afraid of?_

Even from here I can hear the same faint noise coming from inside.

_So that noise was__ really him after all…_

I leaned against the wall next to the entrance of the common room and closed my eyes.

_No__, go away…_

The little, incandescent ghost was still there waving at me… _to come closer_.

Somehow that sent shivers to my spine and opened my eyes quickly.

…_To come inside._

I exhaled my last breath with all my strength and stepped inside the large room…

The time I raised my head up, I came across the last thing I expected to see…

A very large, colourful, square box…

… and toys?

Toys everywhere.

From little cubes and jigsaw puzzles to a large Lego castle that was twice as bigger as the box itself.

_But where is he?_

I started looking around the room and still nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, that same noise I've heard every time I passed next to the common room, made my head turn around to look back to the box.

Did that come from …the box?

I stayed for a moment or two still contemplating about what to do. But still nothing happened. And then, the box started moving around.

"!!"

I blinked in surprise, and started moving cautiously towards it. I hesitated for a moment to step inside that ocean of all sorts of toys that surrounded the big box. It's like …_a fortress?_

"Please stay where you are, there's no need of coming any closer."

I nearly gasped in the sound of the voice that came inside of the box, _that_ only made me froze in place anyway. I was looking at the box with eyes wide open waiting for him to do something. I shouldn't (or couldn't apparently) move after all.

The box started move violently now and slowly a white figure rose from the inside of it.

_A white figure?_

The boy had his back looking at me and when he realized it, he turned around in order to see me.

_Frozen in place? Right now I just couldn't breathe._

He looked at me with his big round eyes half-covered from that white cloud of hair he had. After some seconds of looking at each other, his leg broke the silence, trying to get out of the big box. When he finally managed to come out of it, he turned to look at me again. Now, he was standing in a spot that the sun peered inside the room from the large windows.

I don't care if that sounds way too romantic or whatever but I just refuse to believe what I see right now.

I see the sun reflecting on his ever so white clothes making him look…

..._ incandescent?_

_Either my mind is in the verge of insanity or the little ghost I dreamt about half an hour ago is standing right before me…_

"My name is Near, pleasure to meet you Mello."

His words forced me to come back to Earth but what really made me to do so was…

"Roger told me that you would come here, if you were about to ask how I know your name."

Is that so? I already figured as much anyway… Anyhow, I have to hide my feelings and reactions better from now on.

"I thought so. As you are already informed, he sent me to show you the place here and help you unpacking. As for the second, I can see that you have done that much by yourself already."

I pointed at the enormous amount of toys that surrounded the box. The pale boy before me had a faint smile curving his lips now. He looked with those grey-blue eyes of his at the bundle of the toys and knelt down starting to put them back in the box.

"I apologize for the inconvenience I caused, you can hand me the keys of my room and carry on your business, Mello."

_Why does my nam__e already sound so foreign coming from your lips?_

Even though he is 'sorry' his expression is so blank and unreadable. I can swear he is lying… Now I can understand what Roger meant by saying 'this kid is a little bit different from the others'.

"Roger sent me to help you, this is the business I have to _carry on_ right now… This big box must be really hard to be carried by only one person up to three floors, after all."

I slightly smiled and said so just to break the ice. But he didn't seem to care anyway. So I'll stop here instead.

"Thank you, but you will have to wait for some minutes to pack the toys back."

"It's alright, I'm waiting."

The next minutes passed silently with the blank boy packing his things and me just staring at him. Or studying him apparently. I want to know more about him.

I suppose his parents died recently, given that he just came here, so how can he be that indifferent about everything? Either he really is that empty and lifeless, or he just knows how to hide his feelings so damn well. I bet for the second…

"How did your parents die?"

!!

Okay, now that was completely unintentional, I swear it was. I should definitely learn how to get a hold of my mouth instead of throwing whatever crosses my mind first.

Near, who was now placing his toys back to the box in slow-motion-mode, stopped and looked at me with those light-azure eyes of his ever so coldly.

"I don't know. I was in other orphanage before I come here. I just got transferred. As for my parents I've never met them."

With that, he returned his gaze back to the colourful box twirling one lock of his hair.

_Another orphanage?_

You don't get in Wammy's House just like that; more like you don't _get transferred._ Oh, Please… You have to be at least intelligent and _if_ you get picked from the hundreds of kids that _so_ long to be here then you are lucky, to say the least…

No, wait. If that's true, then why is Linda here?

Anyway, I have to fish him for details, there must be a reason.

"Oh, I guess it must be hard for you to leave all your friends behind now that you won't be with them anymore."

If he's worth his place here, I expect him to see behind that silly question of mine and give me a satisfying answer.

At the sound of this Near creased his lips and knelt down, starting to rearrange his toys in the big colourful box again.

"It's not possible for someone to miss something that never had…"

Silence coursed throughout the empty room once again.

It's not what I expected but that kind of answer coming from him, from all the people, is not weird at all somehow.

So what I've learned so far is, that he is remote, introvert and he tends to keep his emotions for himself.

_Quite the opposite of me._

"I understand how you're feeling."

_If you feel anything._

But nevertheless I can see that we have at least one thing in common…

_Independence._

The white miniature boy smiled slightly for a second without taking his eyes away from his toys.

I want and _I will _know him better.

The next three minutes passed silently with my brain working at full-speed.

"I'm finished packing, shall we go?"

"Yes…"

I stepped into the no longer existent ocean of toys to come closer and lifted the square box up. It was surprisingly heavy; I doubt that we'll manage to get to the third floor that easily. The albino reached it from the other side as we walked out of the common room and headed for the stairs.

The ascent to the second floor was itself very exhausting and we stopped for a while, to catch our breaths, before starting over again.

I sat on the floor, legs criss-crossed looking up to the little pale as ever boy, despite the fact that he was panting and sweating a bit. He sat on the box, his one hand holding his knee to his chest and the other twirling one lock of his white fluffy hair.

"I don't know if Roger told you already, but in the 1st of August, every year, along with the 1st of January and May, we are having some sort of exams to see who is on top of the list on succeeding L."

Just another futile attempt to strike a conversation with him.I straighten my head up to see his reaction, although there was nothing out of the ordinary.

_Exactly, there was nothing__…_

Near was still panting a bit so it took him some seconds before responding finally. And as expected, he sounded ever so neutral and drained from feelings again.

"Yes, Roger already informed me about this. He also told me that you are the first in line all these years…"

Oh, well informed. I see…

"…Please, by all means enjoy your place until the 1st of August. After all, we both are aiming for the same goal..."

Oh, now that hurt.

What is he trying to tell me? That he is going to surpass me? Just like that? Me? The straight A's and best student in Wammy's House from the very first moment I arrived here?

_Don't make me laugh Near._

"…_It's a rival you got from now on, Mello"_

Near looked down at me but not with those big, blank eyes of his. With eyes wrinkled and a twisted smile curving his lips now, he switched legs waiting for my answer.

_How daring a__ pitiful kid like you speaking like that?_

"Just like everyone else in Wammy's House. But have in mind that I'm not willing to give up on my place, just in case you get disappointed after the exams day."

I smiled hollowly and returned the fire.

I know this is pretty ironic, coming from me, but one thing you must never do neither forget is to underestimate your opponent. But it's really hard for me to do such thing after all. But this boy is definitely not like the others. I have to be careful…

"Don't compare me with the other students here, you can as well see that I have nothing to do with those stupids. However, remind me, Mello. When did I ever tell you to give up your leading place?

…_It's a race."_

Just as I thought. Another thing in common.

_Too proud…_

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear.

I'm not planning,

neither to give up,

nor to lose,

by you…

By anyone.

_By no one…_

"_And our goal is the same, Near. I'll be waiting for you there…"_

It's the first time in all these years that I actually have to compete against someone, and somehow, I'm looking forward to it.

But I think that's enough for now.

I stood up, not taking my eyes away from his no longer indifferent –but darkened gaze, accompanied with a slightly twisted smile.

"Are you ready now? We still have one floor to go…"

He nodded silently and stood up from the box, his dark expression replaced by this drained from life gaze of his once again. We grabbed the box side by side and starting walking again.

The trip to the third floor was not that tiring so it was done pretty quickly. We passed my room and finally arrived outside a wooden door with the 330 number written in big, golden figures on it.

"We officially welcome you to the Wammy's House."

I said so as I unlocked the door and stepped inside still carrying the colourful box. Although it sounded pretty fake.

"You do. The other children don't know about my arrival yet. And I doubt that I'll be welcomed."

And I can imagine why…

I was about to say something like that but he got me first.

"Where is your room, Mello?"

Oh! And I was wondering if he'd ask me after all…

"Right next to yours."

The albino seemed to be far absorbed to his thoughts the time I answered, but he was still listening with all his attention.

"I see… I won't bother you anymore, thank you for helping me Mello."

_(__If I only knew that, from this moment, what was about to change…_

_I wouldn't follow Roger in the first place_

…

_No, maybe I still would.)_

"Alright, but don't forget. As Roger said, I still have to show you the rest of the orphanage…"

I smiled and headed for the door. As I reached the doorknob, this alluring voice of his said slowly as if tentatively.

"I will come. Except you forget…"

_Forget?_At the sound of it I hesitated from closing the door. Turning to look at him, I parted my lips to speak but no sound came out.

"It's up to you."

I suppose that the newcomer managed to read my lips before I closed the door behind him, leaving him dumbfound. One thing I love more than anything, despite the circumstances or the person's level, is to have the last word in everything.

Conclusion?

Today's morning was notasboring as I expected it to be.

…

Art class is already over, long ago. So, I chose to stay in my room for the rest of the morning, still contemplating about what happened that last hour.

The weird monotonous noise from the common room I heard every time I passed…

The weird 'all-black-and-ebony-and-then-tada!-The-little-white-ghost-is-here-for-you' daydream.

Roger telling me to welcome the strange newcomer.

And the white ghost is right in front of me, flesh and bones, waving at me, mocking me and even threatening me to ruin everything I built all those years here.

Today's morning was _definitely_ not as boring as I expected it to be.

Mumbling and cursing, I closed the door of my room as I stepped inside.

"Ah, God is making fun of me."

Exhaling as loudly as I could my last breath, I tossed myself on the bed and buried my face in a pillow.

_God… _

_If such thing even exists…_

The next two hours passed uneventfully in my room sleeping. Well not sleeping. More like, tossing and turning on my bed.

I wonder which one has affected me the most…

The dream?

Or the 'dream' that came true?

"Why do I make such a fuss over nothing anyway?"

Lost in my thoughts again, I sat on my bed and opened the drawer next to it. Pieces of papers, my winter school –well more like orphanage, schedule (which doesn't exist anymore), pens, books I've never bothered to open... But where is the chocolate? I'm sure I left some here.

Ah, and my rosary. I was so in hurry this morning that I completely forgot to wear it.

It's not that I'm the type who becomes emotionally attached to things, but I have my reasons about this one.

It's because eleven years ago, two assholes for parents gave up a one year old baby, wrapped in a blue blanket, along with a little white teddy-bear and a long crimson-red rosary in front of this orphanage's door. The only thing they ever cared to say (or write to be precise) was his real name in a piece of paper and left it in the bottom of its crib.

I'm just ashamed; to even think that from those rats I was born. I wonder what they would do if they knew that their son is going to be the world's biggest detective. I bet that they wouldn't even give a damn…

I stretched my hand and took the rosary out of the drawer and started playing with it in my fingers.

As for the other two, the blanket and the plushie, they both are under my bed. Whatever I keep saying about my 'parents', I never let anyone see them, more like touch them. I'm keeping them for only one reason.

Never let me forget, and more importantly… _Never let me forgive them._

Okay, enough with the flashback.

I have to go downstairs. It's lunchtime after all.

About a minute later the door opened and Matt appeared.

"Hey Mello, where have you been all this morning?"

"Here…"

I said slightly irritated from my lack of chocolate. Matt looked like he was in hurry. I gave up on searching and sighed as I sat on my bed again.

"What is it Matt?"

"Nothing just hurry up or we won't learn what Roger wants to tell us."

The redhair jumped on my bed pulling my hand to stand up.

"Wait, what?"

I broke free from Matt's grip and pulled away from the bed leaving the boy there just looking at me puzzled.

"How long have you been here?"

Matt's eyes narrowed as he asked me. Still carrying the rosary I wore it on and parted my lips to give the answer that seemed natural.

"Since I… All morning."

Natural huh? What was I about to say? 'After I had all this humiliation and trouble with that brat downstairs I came here'? I don't think so… At the sound of it, Matt crossed his arms looking at me quite irritated.

"You're lying… Anyway, get ready. I'll be waiting for you outside."

_Lying?_ And in a blink of an eye the goggle-head flew over the door and disappeared.

_Now what? Everybody knows already?_

I sighed once again and made a last –and futile attempt to find any chocolate. After two minutes or so, I gave up and finally got out of the room; Matt was still there waiting.

"Finally… Ready now?"

"Yeah, can you be now more specific; what does Roger want to tell us?"

Matt raised a surprised eyebrow and instead of answering, he turned around and started to walk through the 3rd floor corridor. I called his name again in vain. He only increased his speed and started running. I sped up and hurried after him in order to catch up with his pace.

"Matt! For God's sake slow down and tell me what's wrong with you."

Grabbing his hand and colliding him to the wall seemed the only possible way to slow down and finally get an answer from that redhair, so be it.

"Matt what the…"

"So you've been in your room all day _after_ you finished the lesson, huh?"

Matt started yelling and put some certain emphasis on the 'after'; so he must know something already.

_I guess it's common knowledge to everyone __anyway. _

"Yes I didn't lie to you I _was_ in my room…"

I wasn't lying, at least somehow…

"Right. So if you've been in your room all the morning as you said; then you must not have any clue about that little nerd downstairs."

Of course I know, but how do _you_ know? And why is he that irritated anyway?

The goggle-head broke free and pulled me from my hand instead, starting walking fast to the way downstairs. We passed the dining room and headed for the common room. The moment we stepped inside the big room, filled in bright light coming from the large windows, Matt stopped me and blocked my view by stepping right in front of me.

"Just don't tell me that you are going to leave me for this little bastard."

_What?_

What the hell is he…

"I saw you carrying a box… I was watching you from the class window… And now rumors spread around the orphanage such as 'Mello found someone to knock him down from his –oh so precious first place' a-and…"

Matt was in verge of tears now. He didn't finish his sentence but I already got what he wanted me to say. Children started to gather in the common room as the time passed and some of them where dropping bewildered glances on us and especially on me instead of Matt, to my surprise.

"Look, Matt. It's true that I helped him out with his stuff, but that's all. I don't see any reason for you to act like this. Besides you know that I don't give a damn about what those fools are saying. You _are _my best friend and just because a little smartass arrived here, it doesn't change anything at all."

_-Although__ this smartass is sitting there, at the other side of the room, refusing to see the fury he caused just from his very arrival._

There, I said it. It's quite rare for Matt to express his feelings, considering his all happy-go-lucky nature and to be in the verge of tears over nothing; Ah, I just don't want to know what was going on in his mind all those past hours.

He didn't seem to be completely satisfied with my answer though, but he nodded instead. Although when he parted his lips to speak, his voice was now replaced by a faint whisper and sounded more smothered than before.

"You know that you a-are the only one I h-have here. So…"

The redhair was trying his very best to hide his tears that had now filled his eyes but to no result.

"Matt calm down…"

I grabbed him from his shoulders and tried to stop him from crying but all went in vain. He leaned his head down in shame for me not to see him.

"I don't believe you Matt…"

I chuckled sympathetically and with this I pulled him in my lap, holding him from his waist. I leaned over his left ear and whispered as Matt shivered from the whole sudden embrace of mine.

"I hate repeating myself Matt and you should know that. I told you I'm not going to leave you no matter what… So you'd better pull yourself together as fast as you can before the other boys arrive here."

_-__Oh, now what? Why are you looking at me with this grin creasing your lips once again? Satisfied now Near?_

The redhair nodded but he hugged me tighter nevertheless. I'm not lying to him; thanks to him I maintain my sanity here, so I guess he _is_ kind of my 'best friend' after all.

"Thanks…"

He whispered ever so reluctantly as he pulled away quickly from my lap.

The next five minutes passed uneventfully, with Matt silent, glancing over me and Near every now and then, who doesn't appear to have the slightest clue about what's going on beyond his jigsaw puzzle right now _–although from what I saw (and Matt didn't) that's a lie._

The common room was overflowing with children now. Even I didn't know that we were so many here. And from what I 'accidentally' heard, most of them were curious about the newcomer.

"Hey Mello, having a good time being the new nerd's maid?"

A low and heavy voice heard behind my back along with some laughter. Edward, -if that was his name, but a short and fat figure like this is not that easy to be forgotten. Especially when that figure is accompanied with such a brainless person. Anyhow, I'm so in the mood for a fight right now and after what I've been through all this day, I think I deserve more than one chances to release all this frustration.

"I guess you are too scared to come and face me by yourself, so you had to bring all the boys with you. Or rather just a fucking idiot, you choose."

And that's what all it took to make that shit-head mad? He rushed upon me and grabbed me from my shirt yelling and ready to hit me. Yes, I guess he is mad right now… And judging by the children that started to gather around us calling our names, they are demanding for the 'show' to be continued. But the time I was about to return the 'kindness' of his actions with my right fist clenched, Roger's voice heard not far from the common room. He quickly pulled himself away from me as well as the other kids, slightly disappointed and started to look eagerly at the room's entrance.

After a couple of seconds, Roger, with other two teachers, appeared from the door. Looking at us with that dreamy face of his he smiled and headed towards the middle of the room. Some children's voices heard asking about the new boy again, mostly girls, as I expected.

"Now now, calm down children. All your questions will be answered, be patient."

Roger's old voice echoed through the room making all the children pay attention to him. Roger smiled again and moved towards the white boy, whom was long ago preoccupied with his blank jigsaw puzzle, sitting on the floor holding his left knee to his chest. Near didn't even look up but I'm sure he's already aware of the awkwardness of the situation, so he chose to ignore it instead.

"I guess that most of you have already heard about some unexpected arrivals of the last minute."

Unexpected? I bet he is, to his misfortune. And most of the kids are not _that_ happy about it. _Always, to his misfortune._

With these words, the room seemed to be like an overflowing ocean of kids shouting, asking, cursing not really waiting for an answer, just to be heard. Roger smiled once again, like he expected for all this to happen. Once again, he moved towards the boy that he is the cause of all this fuss and now was right next to him waiting for a reaction out of him. Seeing that this didn't actually work and Near refused stubbornly to even look to the other children he sighed and continued.

"This is Near."

_Heh…_

I couldn't help myself smirking at the fact that even that ignorant for newcomer was taken aback from the straight and sudden of Roger's actions.

_Cat got your tongue__, Near?_

But nevertheless not only Near was taken aback –even though it was less than a millisecond. Asphyxiating silence raced throughout the common room, as if deadly. Everyone –except me and Matt, was looking in astonishment the silverhair like it was the last thing on Earth they expected to hear Roger saying.

"Is this the new boy?"

"I barely saw him."

"Yeah, me too. I thought that he was ours."

"What an arrogant! Even though it's his first day here, he acts like he knows the place for ages."

"Yeah, and look at all those toys… Geez."

That silence however didn't last long; it was now replaced by whispers of disapproval, to say the least. I so wanted to plug my ears; just to enjoy the view in silence. Not to mention it, but it was far more than pleasurable to see slugs like him being humiliated this much. That served him right.

_At le__ast nobody else actually saw me with that drained from feelings newcomer except Matt…_

After a minute or so –that it didn't seem to pass painlessly however, Roger's voice heard yet again, although more hardened and solid.

"I want from each and every one of you to give him a proper welcoming. It's been years since we got another child in Wammy's House. I understand that you are unfamiliar with the whole situation…

…He is the same as all of you after all."

_Oh yeah, like hell he is… _

And I wasn't the only one who said that…

Hypocrite. Three hours ago he was telling me that the new boy has nothing to do with those fools for upcoming successors –well not exactly like that, and now what? But I kind of sympathize with his futile attempt to add him properly to the new environment.

"Oh, enough with these bullshit. Mello, let's go to the dining room already. I'm starving."

An already irritated and bored like hell Matt sounded right next to me. I couldn't disagree with him, but part of me didn't want to leave. I could sit here for hours and hours to see him in such a place. In the meantime Roger went on but he had already passed on at another subject.

"Don't get carried away by the fact that it is summer holidays children… You still have to study hard and…"

There he goes again… Feh, now I lost all my interest. Roger continued his lecture as I shook Matt that was about to fall asleep against the wall.

"Let's go Matt…"

We both started to walk towards the room's exit until I heard something that made me froze.

"Don't forget children it's not long until the 1st of August."

At the sound of it, like a robot in automatic-mode, I turned around and glanced at Near on the other side of the large room. I waited, no, _I demanded_ for some sort of reaction out of him, at least about that matter.

_Look at me…_

Everyone in the room seemed far too bored to either listen to Roger's words or to pay attention to the little emotionless boy in the corner of the room anymore…

_Ah, that twisted smile again…_

…So they didn't see him stop occupying his hands with his puzzle, neither me returning that piercing glance of his with a faint smile curving my lips. We both were the day's news after all.

…

_A race, huh?_

_I'm looking forward __to surpassing you…_

"_I accept your challenge Near."_

I said under my breath still looking at him.

He… nods? _Already grew accustomed to reading your rival Near?_

With that I turned around to exit the common room and followed Matt whom was now far ahead of me.

_(And t__his is how it all began_

…

_Just like a dream…)_

-

End of **'Just like a Dream'**

LNEnja: Wiiiiiiiii… *runs around* It's done!

Mello-chibi: I so want to hit her. *mumbles*

LNEnja: (And now that I'm re-reading it I don't like it at all for various reasons. ¬_¬) I kind of feel like I turned Near to a grinning machine or something -That's not the reason, but just stating a matter of fact… *frowns* Now seriously, I didn't want to add so many OOC situations neither to be that predictable but… *sighs* BUT!!! There is a little part that it's not OOC and it's –coughcoughjustlikethemangacoughcough- :D I'm kind of spoiling it.

Near-chibi: *still grinning* The chapter was fine itself but I didn't like one thing…

LNEnja: The 2009 opening reference? *laughs*

Mello-chibi: Hell yes! *slaps LNEnja*

LNEnja: -Ouch! Aaaaand it also feels kind of awkward cause it seems like an MxM situation –but it won't be… Naaah, I fail at writing…

Matt-chibi: Hell yes!! Did you see me? Did you see me? I have a biiiiig role there…

LNEnja: -What the…? Believe me, I didn't intend to give you such a big role but… this is Death Note. *shrugs*

Mello-chibi: No that's not Death Note bitch! Turning me to have whatever fantasy crosses your mind with Near is not Death Note at all! *yells in fury*

LNEnja: You really need to calm down (__)"

Near-chibi: We certainly hope you all appreciated our hard work and the unfavorable circumstances

LNEnja forced us to join and leave a review.

LNEnja: Polite Nia-chan. *pecks his nose quickly and runs away*

_Review?_


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